Elevator-door-releasing device.



F. J. CHARLAND.

ELEVATOR DOOR RELEASING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1915. I

1,158.,1L'M. Patented 001;. 26, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D c.

F. J. CHARLAND.

ELEVATOR DOOR RELEASING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. m5.

1,158,17i Patented Oct. 26, 1915 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ila

N TTE @TATEE PATENT FREDERICK J. CHARLAND, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI- CAN HARDWARE CORPORATION, OFNEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELEVATOR-DOOR-RELEASING DEVICE.

Patented Oct. 23, 1915.

Application filed. March 24, 1915. Serial No. 16,751.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. CHAR- LAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator-Door-Releasing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in elevator-door releasing devices, and the object of my improvement is simplicity and economy in construction and convenience and efiiciency in use.

In the accompanying drawing :-Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved elevatordoor releasing device, as viewed from the rear side of the car, the position of the floor of the car being indicated by broken lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 00 m of Fig. 2, in part broken away, certain of the parts being shown in side elevation. Fig. 5 is a similar view with the parts in a difierent position. Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 and on the same scale of a modified form of car device, the keeper being broken away. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 9 is a plan View, with the parts moved to a difierent position from that shown in Fig. 7 Fig. 10 is a plan view of a modified form of keeper.

My improved elevator door releasing device cooperates with a spring latch on the door the latter being of the self closing type, and comprises a frame 10secured underneath the floor of the elevator car in which is slidably mounted a slide device 11, which supports on the front end a keeper 12 suitable for being engaged by the said spring latch, the said keeper being held in the engaging position by means of a spring 13, and which may be released by means of a treadle 14 supported on a rod 15 that extends through the floor 72 of the car.

The frame 10 comprises a body portion 16 having a horizontal cross-wise slot or way 17 on the upper side and which is closed by a plate 31, secured by screws 18.

On the lower side of the body portion 16 under the way 17 is an apron 19 having a hole 20, and a pair of arms 21 one on each side of the apron 19 and having the lower ends slightly to the rear thereof, and sup+ porting by the said lower ends a pivotal pin 22. p

The slide member 11 extends through the way 17 and has at the front end a dependent flange 23 on the front face of which is secured the keeper 12.

A rod 24 has the frontend secured to the flange 23 and extends rearwardly through the hole 20 in the apron 19, through a slot 25 in an arm 26 to be described, and is screw threaded on the front end. A nut 27 on the said front end bearsagainst the arm 26.

The spring 13 is mounted on the rod 24 and one end bears against the flange 23 and the other against the apron 19.

A bell crank 28 is pivoted at the junction of the two arms on the pivotal pin 22 and comprises at the front end the upwardly directed arm 26 already mentioned, and which has the slot 25, and on the rear end has the rearwardly directed arm 29, which supports adjacent the extreme rear end the upright rod 15 already mentioned and which supports the treadle 14.

The spring 13 operates to hold the slide 11 and the keeper supported thereby in the forward position, so that the keeper 12 will be extended to the maximum distance from the body of the car. Operating the treadle 14 with the foot serves to pull the slide 11 and the connected parts rearwardly, and in opposition to the spring 13, whereby the keeper 12 is brought back sufficiently to free itself from the spring latch, thus permitting the usual door operating devices to close. the door. Upon releasing the treadle the spring 13 restores the parts to the normal position.

It will be noted that the keeper 12 is an elongated affair, extending appreciably above and below the flange 23 by which it is supported. Except for the curled over ends 30, any part of the keeper may serve to hold the door in the open position. It will be noted however, that in case the treadle 14 is not operated and the car isstarted while the spring latch is engaged with the keeper the said spring latch will slipoif one of the ends of the keeper 12, the particular end depending upon whether the car is travcling-upward or downward, so that inthis way the spring latch will be released, and the door permitted to close. In this way the door is closed independently of the op erator of the car, andherein lies one of the most important features of my invention.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the keeper 12 may be substantially the same, and is supported from a flange 23 which is part of a swinging plate 11 instead of the sliding plate 11, the said :plate 11" being pivotally supported by a pin 31 passing through the frame body 16 and the top plate 31, the way 17 being such as to permit a limited swinging movement.

The pivotal pin 31 is positioned adjacent the front of the way 17, and to one side of the center, the particular side depending upon whether left or right handed movement of the plate 11 and the supported parts is desire The spring 13 is supported in the same way as before, it being understood however that in some cases it may be desired to have the same abut against the flange 23 to one side of the center, or remote from the pivotal pin 31. I

In the style just described the keeper 12 is given a swinging movement, so that normally it stands .at an angle to the frame 10 Thus one edge of the keeper 12 is normally positioned properly for engaging with the spring latch, and by the action of the treadle 1s swung away from such position, such as to free the said spring latch. In both styles, thekeeper is normally in position to engage with the spring latch when the car is at the proper elevation to have the keeper in registration with the same, and when the car is moved away from such position of registrationthe spring latch slides off the keeper, or it might be better said that the keeper slides away from the same, and independent of the operation of the treadle.

It is apparent that some changes from the specific construction herein disclosed may be made and therefore I do not wish to be un derstood as limiting myself to the precise form of construction shown and described, but desire the liberty to make such changes, in working my invention, as may fairly come within the spirit and scope of the same. As regards the spring catch on the door, difierent styles may be used, asui-ta'ble form being shown in Fig. 1, it being understood that the door is of the usual laterally sliding type and provided with means tending to bring the same to the closed position. As shown, the spring catch comprises a frame 50 suitable for being secured to the inner side of the door, with the body portion projecting inwardly, the working parts thereof and the keeper 12 being positioned in the open space between the front wall of the car and the opposing wall of the cage, such space being bridged at the entrance or door ways of the car and cage by the cotiperating door sills when brought into proper alinement or registration.

. limiting The frame 50 is provided with a pair of rearwardly directed lugs 51 having holes 52 for a pivot pin 53 in vertical alinement and separated by a space for receiving an car 5 2 on the catch proper 55. To one side of the ears 51 and in line with the space mentioned is-a stop lug 56, and 011 the other side of the said ears 51 is a platform 57 and a stud (51 or other suitable support for receiving and supporting the rear end of a spring 58. The particular location of the stop lug 5(3 and spring support 57 relatively to the pivotal pin 53 would depend upon whether the device is used for right hand or left hand use. As shown in Fig. 2 the stop lug 56 is at the left and the spring support 57 at the right. The frame 50 may be made up-of two parts as shown, which are adjustably con nected, comprising the bracket 67 that is secured to the door, and the body portion 68, these partshaving overlapping portions 69 secured by bolts 70 and nuts 71.

The catch proper 55 comprises an elongated bar-like structure extending horizontally and generally parallel with the opposed car wall andthe door, having the rearwardly directed ear 54: that fits between the lugs 51, and is engaged with the pivotal pin 53, one end being suitably extended as shown at 60 to'serve as astop lug and to engage with the stop -lug 56. The other end portion of the catchcomprises at the front side a platform 62 andpin 63 for receiving and supporting theother end of the spring 58 and at the rear side a :nose 64 having the laterally directed holding face 65, suitable for engaging with the keeper12 and the inclined face 66 meeting the holding face 65 and suitable for engaging with the face of the keeper l2 and thereby diverting the catch from its normal position while the door is being opened and permitting the catch to be moved to the position of engagement of the holding face 65 with the cotiperating holding edge of the keeper 12.

The spring 58 tends to push the nose G l away from the body of the frame 50, the position being determined by the engagement of the coiiperating stop lugs (50 and 56. lVhen the door is moved to the open position the inclined face 66 is brought into engagement with the face of the keeper 12 and the catch 55 is swung to one side, in opposition to the spring 58, until the holding face 65 is in registration with the vertical holding or bearing edge of the keeper 12 when the catch is moved by the spring to the normal position and which corresponds to the holding position of the nose 64 and the keeper 12.

It will be noted that the spring latch and keeper as described are suitable for being brought into proper engagement for holding the door open at any elevation whatsoever throughout the range determined by the length of the keeper 12. Generally the keeper 12 is of suitable length to extend vertically across the floor, with such leeway as may be desired, the upper curled over end 30 being appreciably above the floor structure, and the lower curled over end 30 being below the same.

The curled over ends 30 serve as fenders to push aside any obstruction that may be in the way or to push the keeper 12 out of the way if necessary, depending upon circumstances, and which would occur only under abnormal conditions, and which conditions, however might be the cause of serious trouble. For instance, in case the car were being moved from a position in which the keeper 12 were above or below the proper level for engagement with the catch to position of engagement therewith and the door were in the position that the nose 64: were in registration with the face of the keeper 12, a condition which is unusual, but which might happen, the particular curled end opposed to the nose 6i would simply push the same to one side, thus avoiding any damage.

In Fig. 10 is shown a spring latch device that operates quite similar to the device shown in Fig. 2, but in which the holding face is at the extreme or butt end of the movable member or catch proper 55 and the relation of the pivotal pin 53 and the arrangement and general construction of the parts is such that the inclined tripping face (36 is really a continuation of the rear face of the catch 55, and the said catch is normally positioned so as to be directed at an angle to the line or plane of movement of the door. Accordingly, the nose 64 is generally positioned appreciably rearwardly of the stop lug portion 56 of the catch 55*. In such case the platform 57 a for the end of the spring 58 may be stepped rearwardly in a different plane from that of the lug 56 on the frame 50 I claim as my invention 1. In an elevator door control, means for automatically holding the elevator door open adapted to be released by the operator, {0 permit closing of the door, comprising a yielding catch carried by the door, a supporting bracket secured beneath the floor of the car, a retractable keeper mounted on the supporting bracket and having a vertically extending holding face projecting past the edge of the car floor into position to be engaged by the yielding catch on the door, a spring normally projecting the keeper out into the plane of engagement with the catch on the door, adjustable means on the bracket for determining the extent of outward movement of the keeper, a retracting lever pivoted on the supporting bracket and connected with the keeper for retracting the same and an operating pedal for retracting the keeper connected with said retracting lever and projecting up through the floor of the car.

2. In an elevator door control, means for automatically holding the elevator door open adapted to be released by the operator to permit closing of the door, comprising .a yielding catch carried by the door, a supporting bracket secured beneath the floor of the car, a retractable keeper mounted on the supporting bracket and having a vertically extending holding face projecting past the edge of the car floor into position to be engaged by the yielding catch on the door, a spring normally projecting the keeper out into the plane of engagement with the catch on the door, means for limiting the outward movement of the keeper, a retracting lever pivoted on the supporting bracket and connected with the keeper for retracting the same and an operating pedal for retracting the keeper connected with said retracting lever and projecting up through the floor of the car.

3. An elevator door releasing device comprising a frame for being supported on the lower side of the floor of an elevator car, having a horizontal slot serving as a way, a keeper supporting device comprising a guide and supporting arm operatively engaged with the said way, and having a downwardly directed flange at the outer end thereof, a spring engaged with said flange and tending to push the supporting device outwardly, a treadle operated device connected to said flange and operative to pull the same inwardly and in opposition to said spring, and a keeper supported by the flange.

l. An elevator door releasing device comprising a frame for being supported by the car, having a longitudinal way, an apron on the rear side below the said way, provided with a perforation, and having pivot supporting arms on each side of the said apron, a keeper supporting device operatively housed in said way and having a dependent flange on the front end, a keeper supported by said flange, a rod connected by one end to said flange and having the other end portion extending through the perforation in the apron, a spring mounted on said rod, a bell crank supported by the pivot supporting arms, having one of its arms connected to said rod, and a treadle operatively connected to the other arm of the bell crank.

FREDERICK J. OI-IARLAND.

Witnesses:

ROGER W. EDWARDS, LoUIs M. SCHMIDT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

